


i need you so much closer

by tourmalinex



Series: tour's souyo week 2016 [4]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: Accidental Kiss, Angst, Comfort, Developing Relationship, M/M, Questioning Sexuality, hand holding, slight au?? (probably), somewhere mid series???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-16 09:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7263154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tourmalinex/pseuds/tourmalinex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yu and Yosuke were best friends. Sometimes, they didn't have to say how they felt—they could just look at each other and know. But what about the feelings that they had hidden away?</p><p>[ Day 4: Fan Content Based on Fan Content ]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. side a: searching for signs // side b: words are futile devices

**searching for signs // day 7**

Snow was falling and winter showed no signs of leaving any time soon. The Investigation Team, save for Teddie, Yosuke and Yu, met up at Chinese Diner Aiya. Luckily, Yosuke had to work that day and Yu made plans with Nanako and Dojima—something rare for the family to do. The group was rather quiet after they placed their orders. 

“Uh, look,” Kanji began, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wanted to ask you guys something.”

“Yeah? What is it?” Rise asked. “I had something to ask, too, to be honest.”

“Likewise,” said Naoto as she took a sip of her tea. “I'm guessing that we all might be talking about the same thing.”

“It's weird, isn't it?” Chie asked, keeping her voice at a low volume. “I mean, aren't they best friends? I couldn't stand not talking to Yukiko for a day, let alone a _week_.”

“I know,” Yukiko said reassuringly. “It would be completely unpleasant.”

“Has anyone heard them argue over something? Anything?” Naoto looked at the others. “Was there any sign of disagreements?”

“Well, I noticed that both of them won't look at each other,” Chie said. “What's weirder is that when they _do_ talk to each other during class, it's really… stiff and formal.”

“Dammit!” Kanji said, beating his fist onto the table. “I can't take this crap anymore! Those two should just talk it out and get over it already!”

“Now, now,” Yukiko said. “Maybe it's better for the two of them. They might need some time to think some stuff out, whatever it may be.”

“I guess you're right,” said Rise. “But what bothers me is that it had to be something big. Like, really, really, big to pull them apart.”

“Perhaps we should wait it out a little bit more.” Naoto heaved a sigh. “But if this continues for a few more days, we should mention our concerns. We should support them in any way we can.”

“That's as good of a plan as we'll get,” Chie said, uncertainty in her voice. “I kinda feel bad for leaving Teddie out of this, but who knows what's gonna happen when he finds out—if he hasn't already.”

The group nodded in agreement. What more could they do?

 

**words are futile devices // day one**

Something Yu never considered before was working part-time at Junes. It seemed to be hectic at times and while Yu could make for pleasant conversations, he preferred to have some down time to relax. But after hearing Yosuke complain about some people dropping shifts, Yu decided to help out on occasion. At first, it was a bit daunting. Employees had to know what was in every aisle, know how the stockroom was organized and be able to help out as many customers as needed. But as with everything, Yu got the hang of it and managed. 

“Hey, Yu!” Yosuke called, waving his arm to ensure that he caught Yu's attention. “Can you help me out for a sec?”

“Sure thing,” Yu said, making his way over. “What do you need?”

Yosuke pointed over to the back side of Junes. “There's some boxes in the stockroom that I need to get. Think you can help me carry them?”

“Sure,” said Yu as he followed Yosuke. Once the entered the stockroom, Yosuke closed the door and went straight to the boxes on the shelf labeled “Hardware.” As he tried lifting a box, Yosuke made a pained expression.

“What the hell is in this box?!” Yosuke adjusted himself and tried lifting the box again. “Okay, I have a better grip on it. Let's grab another and get going.”

Yu nodded. However, as he attempted to lift another box, the room went completely dark. The sudden darkness shocked Yosuke, leading him to drop the box on the floor. 

“Crap, now what's going on?” Yosuke groaned. 

“Do you think that maybe the snow would have something to do with it?” Yu asked.

“Maybe, but I don't know, man. Let's just try to get out of here.” Yosuke shuffled around, trying to adjust to the darkness. Yu tried to make his way around the box—wherever it was—but quickly found himself kicking the box and going towards the ground. He tried to alert Yosuke that he was going to fall, but felt the weight of his body falling on top of Yosuke himself. 

“Damn it,” Yosuke whimpered. “That frickin' hurt.” The weight of Yu's body was pinning him down to the floor. Both of them scrambled to get up, but as they tried to pull away from each other, Yosuke moved up too fast. He felt something soft and warm gently press against his lips. At first, he wasn't sure, but feeling Yu's breath against his made it clear. A jolt rushed through his body and he couldn't move despite wanting to get up right away. His face was getting warm and Yosuke couldn't think of anything to say or do. It wasn't until Yu fully got up that Yosuke could move. He put his hand to his mouth, feeling bewildered and ashamed. That was his first kiss, and it went to his best friend.

 _No, no, no,_ he tried telling himself. _It was an accident, so it doesn't count._

“… are you hurt anywhere?” Yu asked, his voice nearly cracking. He coughed quietly to clear his throat. “Yosuke?” 

“Oh, um… yeah, I'm fine,” he managed to muster up. “What about you?”

“I'm alright. Let's get out of the room first.” Yu continued to shuffle in the dark. When he felt what he believed was another shelf, Yu used it as a guide. But as he was making some progress, Yu and Yosuke heard what they thought was the door opening. A blinding light shone and their bodies flinched. 

“Yosuke?” It was his father and another staff member. “Are you two alright?”

“Yeah, we're fine,” Yosuke said, exasperated. “What are we gonna do now?”

“Some of the guys are looking at the back up generator. The only thing to worry about is the produce and perishables.” Yosuke's father heaved a sigh. “We're going to call it a day for now and close—we're in no condition to be open anyways. Here.” He handed Yosuke a flashlight. “Get your stuff and head on home. Tell your mother that I'll be back as soon as I finish figuring this out.”

“Alright, I'll let her know,” said Yosuke as he and Yu left the room. 

As the grabbed their things from the employee room, they left the store in silence. They were bundled in their jackets, scarves and hats, hoping to get home soon. The snow was falling heavily, though not so much as it was difficult to walk. If there was anything that made their walk difficult, it was the lack of words between them. Why was it weird now? Before, Yosuke would just hang all over Yu, arms draped over his shoulder or resting against him. It was intimate, close and acceptable.

 _But a kiss is…_ Yosuke shook his head. _It was just an accident. Why get all bent out of shape over it?_

“Take care of yourself,” said Yu. “And try to stay warm tonight.”

“Yeah, same to you, partner.” Yosuke waved good bye and made his way back home.

Yu, on the other hand, decided to stay behind and watched as Yosuke left. He needed more time to think about what happened. There was no denying it on Yu's part—Yosuke was important and he would do anything for his happiness. Of course, Yu felt that way about everyone else around him, but there was a stronger connection with Yosuke. Sometimes, they didn't have to say how they felt—they could just look at each other and know. 

But not tonight.

Not being able to read his best friend was frightening. Yu wanted to know what was wrong and talk things out so that there would be no tension or awkwardness. But he knew that the feelings he tried to bury were crawling to the surface.

_How could I tell him that I didn't want to pull away?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This was based on two pictures, one by [bittesehr](http://bittesehr.tumblr.com/post/117888247838/commission-for-waifu-check-out-my-post) and [preservedcucumber](http://preservedcucumbers.tumblr.com/post/136351728111). I was trying to think of reasons about why Yosuke would be crying and why/how Yu would comfort him. So this came about. And oh boy is it gonna be longer than the other stuff souyo I did by a long shot. 
> 
> The title of day one comes from Sufjan Stevens' "Futile Devices." His voice is so beautiful and I keep listening to it on loop. The story title comes from Death Cab for Cutie's "Transatlanticism."
> 
> Anyways, let me know what y'all think so far.


	2. sharing different heartbeats // day 2

Yu didn't bother to rush to school despite being late. He kept tossing and turning last night, unable to find a comfortable position to sleep in. The kiss kept playing through his mind on loop and how much more he wanted from it. Yu craved a closeness with Yosuke—no one else would do. The more Yu thought about his feelings towards Yosuke, the more he wondered about himself. Who is he attracted to? Boy, girl, it didn't matter so much. It wouldn't have mattered if Yosuke was his current self or a girl, Yu was sure of it. He would have loved Yosuke anyway. He was hopelessly in love with that boy, and there was nothing he could do about it but keep his mouth shut. From the looks of it, Yosuke preferred girls. Why go through the pain of admitting feelings and not only be rejected, but potentially losing a friend over it? No, it was better to keep it under wraps as much as possible. No one could know—not his family, not his friends and not Yosuke. This was to be between himself.

As he approached school grounds, Yu brushed off the snow that covered his head and shoulders. He made his way over to classroom and could hear the various teachers lecturing. Once he got to his classroom, Yu slid the door open. All eyes were on him except for Yosuke's.

“I'm sorry I'm late,” he said to Mrs. Nakayama. Yu quickly went to his seat and took out his notes. The rest of his morning classes consisted of him staring down at his notes. He didn't feel the need to add anything to them, and everything was distant and hazy. By the time lunch rolled around, Yu headed straight for the nurse's office. 

“Hello. Is there something I can help you with,” the nurse asked.

“I have a bad headache,” Yu said. A part of him felt a little guilty, but he also knew that it wasn't a complete lie. “It's making it hard to concentrate. My stomach hurts a bit, too.”

“Well, go lie down for now. I'll see what I can do for you, okay?” 

Yu nodded and curled up on one of the beds. The lack of sleep wasn't doing anything for him, especially with everything else on top of it. The last thing Yu needed was to get sick and miss class.

_____

Yosuke checked everywhere. The roof, the track, the cafeteria, the restrooms and most of the classrooms. Yu just upped and left without a word. Maybe Yu just wanted to have lunch by himself or with someone else. Yeah, that could be it, so why worry about it? After realizing this, Yosuke made his way back to the classroom and ate his lunch.

“Hey Yosuke,” said Chie. “Did you find him?”

“No,” he replied. “Maybe I missed him somewhere.”

“Don't you think that was strange this morning?” Yukiko asked. “Yu usually isn't late.”

“I guess everybody has their off days,” Chie said as she poked a straw through her juice box. “Maybe he's catching a cold. He didn't seem too good.”

“Hmm, did you run into Kanji by any chance?” Yukiko paused. “Or maybe he's with Naoto or Rise.”

“Who knows,” Yosuke sighed. “It's not like—” He was interrupted by the bell, signaling that lunch was over. 

“Not like…?” Chie asked, her head tilted to the side. 

“It's nothing.” Yosuke took out his notes. “He should be back soon anyways since class is gonna start.”  
But there was still no sign of him. Yu wasn't there as the teacher walked in, as they rose and bowed. Even when his name was called, he wasn't there to answer.

“Has anyone seen Narukami?” the teacher asked as he marked Yu absent. 

“I think I saw him going to the nurse's office during lunch,” said a student from the back.

“Ah, I see.” The teacher scanned the classroom. “Amagi, lend him your notes later, will you?”

“Of course, sir,” Yukiko replied. 

“Alright class, please turn to page…”

The rest of the afternoon classes proceeded without Yu. Yosuke couldn't help but wonder if it was Yu coming into the class every time the door had opened. He was wrong every time. When the afternoon classes were finished, Yosuke grabbed his bag and Yu's belongings.

“I'm gonna take his stuff to the nurse's office,” Yosuke said to Yukiko and Chie. “You guys wanna come with?”

“I have to go help at the inn today,” said Yukiko. “Oh, but here. Give him my notes.” She handed Yosuke her notebook. “I read ahead, so I don't need them back right away.”

“Thanks.” Yosuke put the notes into Yu's bag. “What about you Chie?”

“Sorry, Yosuke,” Chie waved her hand. “I have some stuff to do at home. Tell Yu we hope he feels better.”

“Will do,” Yosuke said as he left the classroom. The idea of seeing Yu by himself made him anxious. His heart was beating faster and his hands began to tremble. When he arrived at the nurse's office, he approached the nurse.

“I came here to check up on Narukami Yu,” he said. “I have his things with me.”

“Ah, well, he fell asleep a few hours ago.” The nurse gestured over to Yu, who slept with his back against them. “Narukami told me that he managed 4 hours of on-and-off sleep last night. I advised him to go home, but he insisted on staying. Before I knew it, he fell asleep.” She stacked up several folders and got up from her chair. “I need to drop these off at the main office. Please wake him up and make sure that he gets home.”

“Thank you,” Yosuke said, bowing his head slightly. After the nurse left the room, Yosuke walked over to Yu. He was a rather peaceful sleeper and from the sound of soft snoring, Yosuke figured that Yu was in a deep sleep. He poked at Yu's face without much reaction. _His cheeks are so soft._ Yosuke shook his head. _You idiot._ He placed his hand on Yu's shoulder and shook him lightly.

“C'mon, wake up. Classes are over.”

Yu shift around, his eyes slowly opening. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and tried to reorient himself. Yu looked up at Yosuke until his vision was clearer. 

“What time is it?” he asked.

“It's about 3:45,” Yosuke said, looking away. “You had us worry there for a bit. Are you feeling better?”

Yu put his fingertips to his temple. “My headache is mostly gone.”

“Good to hear. I got your stuff right here, so let's go home.” Yosuke held out Yu's things.

“Thanks Yosuke,” Yu said as he grabbed his coat and put it on. He took his bag and stood up. “Were you waiting long?”

“Not really,” Yosuke said as they left the nurse's office together. “I just got there. The nurse told me to get you up and left. Anyways, I have another shift today, so I better get going.”

“Oh, okay. Talk to you later,” Yu said, his voice growing quiet. 

“Yeah, talk to you later.” Yosuke hurried off. 

Yu felt his stomach tying into knots. He knew Yosuke's schedule for the week—he saw it when he was looking at his own schedule.

_… Yosuke lied. Is he avoiding me?_

_____

After heading straight home, Yosuke went to his room and put on his headphones. He didn't even bother with dinner, much to his parent's surprise. He needed a distraction. He just wanted all the thoughts to stop. They flooded his mind and took up every corner.

_Why did I want to touch his face more?_

_Why can't I look at him?_

_Why do I feel uneasy?_

_Do I hate my friend?_

No. He could never hate his best friend. But then what was it? From the beginning of their friendship, both Yosuke was devoted to Yu. Whatever decision Yu thought was best, Yosuke would go along with it. Whatever direction Yu went, Yosuke would follow. That's how you support a friend, isn't it? You have their back and they have yours. So then why was Yosuke having second thoughts? Was the intensity of his devotion to Yu strange to others? Were other people even paying attention?

_What's the line between best friends and—_

No, no, no. Yosuke pulled his blanket over his head. He wouldn't let his thoughts go there. He and Yu were just best friends. That's it, nothing more. 

But he needed more convincing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This took a while to write and the chapter also took a different turn than I had planned and ended up being longer than expected. But I think the ultimate direction this story is taking will be the same. The title comes from The Knife's "Heartbeats." Jose Gonzalez's cover of it is pretty cool, too. Anyhow, I'll post the next chapter (hopefully) by the end of the week. I edited this at around 1:50AM, so let me know if I have any mistakes or something sounds confusing.


	3. side a: waste a day so I can think // side b: to hold me through the night

**waste a day so I can think // day three**

This time, Yosuke was missing from class. He played sick and stayed home. Luckily, his mother believed him, since he skipped out on dinner last night. Yosuke listened to music on repeat for most of the day. He had to distance himself, even if it was just for a day. His head spun words and ideas he otherwise would have ignored. He had been denying what he already knew and lied to himself since the summer.

_I only like girls. I only like girls. I only like girls._

There was no way he could like Yu's face, his kindness, his smile, or his hands. Nor could he like the sound of Yu's voice, his laughter or his snoring. He didn't like Yu's handwriting, his cooking or his humming. Yosuke didn't like Yu. He didn't, he couldn't, he wouldn't.

He loved him, and that was the problem.

_____

That morning, Yu realized that he couldn't concentrate again. Despite making it to school on time, he felt so desperately tired. His body felt heavy—his eyes especially. The nighttime was harsh to him, and there was no peace of mind. All he wanted to do was catch up on some sleep. Thankfully, today was Saturday, so he would have the rest of the day and tomorrow to rest.

Chie waved her hands in front of Yu's face. He shook his head to break his daze. How long was he out of it? 

“Are you sure you should be here?” Chie asked. “I mean, you were with the nurse all afternoon and now you're all spacey.”

“I'm fine.” Yu rubbed his forehead a little. “I'm just tired.”

“Maybe you should take a warm bath tonight,” Yukiko suggested. “That might help you fall asleep.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Yu looked up at Chie. “Was there something you were asking me?”

“Oh, well I just thought it was weird.” Chie gestured to Yosuke's seat. “First you weren't feeling well, now _he's_ not here. I was wondering if there was some sort of cold going around.”

“I see,” Yu said as he got up. “I think I might get some fresh air to wake me up. I'll be back.”

But the truth was, his emotions were getting the better of him. Yu went straight to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. _Don't get like this,_ he told himself. 

_He's definitely avoiding me._

 

**to hold me through the night // day four**

The group decided to meet up at Chinese Diner Aiya after Yosuke's and Teddie's shift. Thankfully, they only worked in the morning. By lunchtime, they met up with the rest of the group, who were already seated. Yosuke couldn't look at Yu. With Kanji, Rise and Naoto sitting with Yu, Yosuke was at ease. Now he had an excuse to not talk to Yu as much as he used to. He and Teddie sat next to Chie and Yukiko at the bar.

“Did you guys order already?” Yosuke asked. 

“We just placed orders for drinks,” said Rise. “I'm not sure what I want yet.”

“I just want something warm,” said Yukiko. “I feel like the cold weather is just getting worse.”

“You got that right,” Kanji said, nodding his head. “I have to sleep with two blankets and a heater.”

“Lucky for me, I'm beary warm in my cubby hole!” Teddie stuck his chest out proudly.

“Well, we all can't be as warm as you,” said Chie, chuckling. 

Yu scanned through the menu, unsure of what to order. But as he considered his options, Yu looked up, noticing that Yosuke was staring at him. Yosuke quickly looked away. _Don't let it bother you,_ Yu told himself. He shifted his attention to Kanji, who was looking at his phone. 

“Did you make that yourself?” Yu asked Kanji as he pointed to his blue cat strap.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Kanji said, blushing. “I made it a few days ago. I thought it would be a nice change of pace from the yellow bunny I had.”

“It's so cute!” Rise gushed. “Do you think you could make one for me sometime?” 

“Sure.” Kanji smiled. “Just tell me what color and what animal you want, and I can get it to you ASAP.”

“Thanks, Kanji.” Rise turned to Yu. “Don't you think it'd be cute if we got matching ones, senpai?”

Teddie pouted. “No fair! I want to match with sensei too!”

“That sounds nice,” Yu said, smiling. As they continued, Yosuke's mouth twisted out of annoyance. _Matching phone charms. Really?_

“Hey Yosuke, you feelin' alright?” Chie asked. 

“I'm alright, just hungry.” Yosuke sighed. _Why am I getting upset over something so stupid?_

_____

Yu was curled into a ball that night, fighting back welling tears. His chest ached and if someone were to lay a hand on him, he would fall into pieces. After everyone had left, it was just him and Yosuke. The silence was excruciating, and Yu couldn't help but wonder if the others had noticed and left them alone on purpose.

“Shall we go?” Yu asked.

Yosuke shrugged and started walking off. In a panic, Yu reached out for Yosuke, grabbing his hand. “There's something I need to tell you,” he said.

With hesitation, Yosuke snatched his hand away. “There's nothing to talk about,” he muttered. But as he tried to walk away again, Yu kept following him.

“I need to—”

“No!” Yosuke turned to Yu, furious. “There's nothing to talk about! Just… leave me alone.”

Yu's knees started to weaken. What could he do? He knew that Yosuke wouldn't want to talk about it, but he didn't think that he would be angry. Yu came to a gradual halt. “I felt something,” he said quietly. He hadn't admitted it out loud before. This was as close as he got to revealing his true feelings towards Yosuke. 

But Yosuke kept walking. 

There would be no use in repeating it again, so Yu went straight home and stayed in his room. Nanako knocked on his door to check up on him, but Yu couldn't worry her too much. “I'm not feeling well. The winter isn't as bad in the city. I'll get used to it soon.” Lies like that. He was grateful that she believed him, but at the same time was ashamed.

It would be another restless night without comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! I don't know why I end up updating around 2AM, but so it goes. The titles come from Death Cab for Cutie's "Sleep Spent" and Jens Lekman "The Cold Swedish Winter." We're at/close to the halfway point, so these two are going to figure it out soon.
> 
> Anyways, let me know what you guys think!


	4. side a: like we used to talk // side b: where no island should go

**like we used to talk // day five**

The nights were getting colder. As Yosuke made his way home from Junes, he kept his hands in his pockets, his fingers hovering over his phone. What made him think that Yu would pick up after how he acted? He just wanted to be able to talk to Yu like before. He could bare his soul to Yu and face no judgment. He was accepted with open arms—every part of him, even the worst aspects. But now an agonizing distance was growing. Words were useless, and his fears forbade any action. Fear of losing his best friend over unsaid thoughts, fear of not being able to repair any future damage, fear of being rejected and left alone. All of these thoughts occupied Yosuke's mind since the kiss. His feelings for Yu had come to the surface without any intention to be drowned out.

_I just wanted to be closer to him. I wanted to be the only one close to him._

Yosuke shook his head—he was being selfish again. He needed to sort things out before he could talk to Yu. That is, if Yu was willing. 

_I really messed this up._

 

**where no island should go // day six**

Yu met up with Kanji near the front gates. Kanji took what Rise, Teddie and Yu said to heart and made charms for everyone. He held out the one he made for Yu.

“I think I'm getting better at makin' these,” Kanji said, looking down at the charm with pride.

“You were already great at them,” Yu said. “It's really cute.”

“Thanks, senpai.” Kanji's face flushed. He pushed his hair back with his hand. “There was something I wanted to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Well… I overheard Yukiko and Chie. They said that things were kinda weird. I couldn't help but notice it, too.” Kanji put his hand on Yu's shoulder. “If you got anything botherin' you, can tell me.”

Yu smiled softly. “Thanks, Kanji. That means a lot.”

“No prob. What kind of friend would I be if I couldn't help you out?” Kanji pulled his hand back. “I gotta head off, but I'll see you later!”

As he waved to Kanji, Yu's face went back to a neutral expression. The others are starting to notice a difference. Yu inhaled deeply and started to walk home. He didn't want everyone else to be worried about him or for the dynamic of the group to change. 

He wanted and needed to clear everything up.

 

**searching for signs // day 7 part 2**

As Yu went to his room, he heard his phone ringing on his desk. He checked his phone and saw a group message from Yukiko.

_I was thinking that everyone could sleepover at the inn this weekend. We have two rooms available._

That would mean sharing a room with Yosuke, but at least Kanji and Teddie would be there, too. Maybe with everyone else around, Yu would feel at ease and he could talk to Yosuke normally. He texted Yukiko back. _That sounds like fun._

While he still had his phone out, Yu started tying out a message to Yosuke. He wanted to let Yosuke know that he wanted to talk to him, but wasn't sure what to say. Yu did his best, sent the message and went to bed. He kept the phone near him, just in case Yosuke decided to reply. He hoped that he would, but Yu's drowsiness got the best of him.

_____

_“Good night. I hope you sleep well.”_

Yosuke didn't know how he should feel. On one hand, this was something that Yu _would_ do before the awkward tension. Yosuke felt happy, nervous and upset. Of all the things Yu could say, he tells him to sleep well and it's over a text message. Then again, Yosuke would be the same. He wouldn't be able to say anything out loud. He was still for a moment, then started to type out a message and sent it.

_Good night. Sweet dreams._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I keep forgetting to put a timeline in the notes, so hopefully this makes things a little easier in terms of sense of time? The title for day five comes from Empire of the Sun's "Half Mast" and day six is another shout out to "Transatlanticism." The next chapter is going to be longer, so that will hopefully make up for this shortness. Happy day to y'all and hope this was somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> day one: thursday  
> day two: friday  
> day three: saturday  
> day four: sunday  
> day five: monday  
> day six: tuesday  
> day seven: wednesday  
> day eight: thursday  
> day nine: friday  
> day ten: saturday


	5. heaven has been away too long // day 9

**heaven has been away too long // day 9**

The snowfall had lessen, but a cold wind was blowing. Along with his coat, Yu wore his scarf, hat and gloves at Nanako's request. She gave a small lecture on how washing hands was important and keeping warm was essential. Nanako had already shown to be worried about his change in behavior, so Yu obliged. By the time he arrived, the others inside, trying to warm up.

“Welcome,” Yukiko said as she ushered him in. “Everyone's already in their rooms. Yours is the second to last on the left-hand side. There should still be some _amazake_ left if they haven't finished it.”

“Thanks,” said Yu. “I can't believe how lucky we got.”

Yukiko smiled. “Yes. The former guests had to cancel last minute, and I thought it would be nice to have everyone over. I have to help out for a bit longer, so I'll see you later.”

Yu went straight to the guys' room, already feeling nervous. _We're not gonna be alone,_ he told himself repeatedly. As he approached the room, he could faintly make out familiar voices. He stopped in front of the room when they sounded more agitated.

“So what? If it's not your problem to deal with, then leave it alone!” Yosuke? What was he talking about? Yu decided to stay by the door and listen.

“But you're both our friends!” Teddie said. “Friends shouldn't be fighting!”

“We're not fighting!” Yosuke shouted back.

“Then why aren't you guys talking to each other?” Kanji asked. 

“It's nothing,” Yosuke said. “So drop it.”

“All I'm sayin' is if you have shit to say, just say it.” Kanji sighed. “There's no use in just keepin' it all to yourself.”

Great, so now everyone else knows. There was no hiding it from them anymore and yet Yu didn't want to talk about it with them. Not because they might not understand or accept it, but it might make the tension worse. Yu let a few moments pass before deciding to enter the room. He inhaled deeply and did his best to smile as normal as possible. “How are you guys?”

“Hey, sensei!” Teddie said, rushing towards Yu. “Glad you could make it!”

“There's some tea and amazake,” Kanji said, pointing towards the table. “Yukiko brought it in a few minutes ago, so it's still warm.”

“Alright. Let me just put this aside.” Yu put his bag in the corner and took off his coat and other outerwear. As he walked over to the table to pour himself a cup of amazake, he noticed Yosuke staring in his direction. Of course, when he tried to look back at Yosuke, he would quickly turn away. 

“Did you guys have some already?” Yu asked as he poured the amazake. It smelled sweet and fragrant, making Yu feel a bit more at ease. He blew gently to cool it down before taking a small sip.

“Are you kidding?” Kanji asked. “It took a lot of effort to have Teddie _not_ finish it.”

“But it's _soooo_ good,” Teddie said. “It makes me feel all fuzzy warm inside!”

“As if you weren't fuzzy enough already,” said Yosuke. “Just don't hog all the good stuff, alright?”

“Awwww,” Teddie said, pouting. “Okay, but only because sensei should have some good stuff, too!”

“Thanks, Teddie,” said Yu. He looked down the his cup, watching the steam rise. It was going to be a long night, so Yu took a long sip, savoring the momentary peace.

_____

After everyone had gone to bed, Yosuke snuck out of the room, walking towards the entrance. He had no intention of leaving, but he needed some fresh air. He put on the outer coat that the inn provided and stepped out. The snow had stopped falling, but a fresh layer glistened over the ground. Yosuke walked several feet away from the entrance, pacing back and forth. While he was finally aware of how he felt and accepted it the course of action to take was unclear.

“I thought you'd be out here.”

Yosuke turned around. Yu walked over towards him, giving him a gentle smile. Yosuke's heart was pounding, and all he could do was turn away. 

“I couldn't really sleep,” Yosuke said, his face getting red.

“Same,” Yu replied. “I… I need to tell you something.”

Yosuke sighed, not knowing of how to feel. Happy? Scared? Annoyed? The possibilities swirled in his head. 

“What is it?” Yosuke asked, facing away.

“This isn't easy for me either.” Yu struggled, trying to keep his voice calm. “I… I love you, Yosuke… that probably sounds pathetic, right?” 

Their eyes met briefly, and Yosuke could see the uncertainty in Yu's eyes. But despite being so unsure, he continued.

“I didn't want to tell you at first, but here we are.” Yu looked up to the dark sky, his smile cracking. “I thought it might be better if you knew. I'll be leaving, so you… you can forget about this. You can forget about me.”

Oh, no. Yosuke's heart fell to the floor as Yu's hands balled into anguished fists. How could he forget something this pivotal, this seemingly wonderful, messy, emotion? Yosuke tried all week to ignore and forget but it wasn't going to happen. He didn't want to forget his first meeting with Yu and the bond they forged together. 

“You… you idiot!” Yosuke grabbed Yu's shoulders. His eyes burned with welling tears and his grip tightened. “You think you can just decide these things on your own?! What about me?!”

Yosuke's hands trembled as his grip loosened. His tears showed no signs of stopping, so he gave them the freedom to flow down his face. “I-I don't want to lose my best friend! You're too important… if we dated, and it didn't work out—or other people pulled us away… I wouldn't know what to do.” His hands fell down at his sides. They felt heavy, and Yosuke couldn't keep any of his sobs quiet.

Yu cupped Yosuke's face in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe some of the tears away. Embarrassed, Yosuke closed his eyes. He felt the closeness of Yu's face against his, but couldn't bear to look at him in that moment. As his eyes remained closed and the tears kept flowing, Yosuke felt Yu's lips press against the corners of his eyes, as if to kiss the tears away. He pulled away and opened his eyes. Seeing Yu's kindness and tenderness reminded Yosuke why he had grown to love his best friend. 

There was no need to be afraid anymore.

_No more hesitation. No more holding back._

Yosuke placed one hand at the base of Yu's neck and the other cradling the back of his head. Yu's face was beet red from ear to ear as Yosuke's lips brushed against his. This was happening. This wasn't a dream. This wasn't something unattainable. Yosuke pressed more firmly, and Yu not only accepted whole-heartedly, but returned the affection. Despite the short amount of time they spent apart, they held onto each other as if to make up for the lost time. Once they broke away from each other, Yosuke pulled Yu into his arms, resting his head on Yu's shoulder. 

“I feel so stupid,” he said. “I'm… I'm sorry for everything. I was scared and I didn't want to lose you.”

Yu patted Yosuke's back. “It's okay. I'm sorry, too. We can figure this out. I'll stay with you, I promise.”

“Even though you're leaving?” Yosuke asked, lifting his head and backing away. “And what about other people? Our parents, our friends… what if they—”

“They'll understand.” Yu reached out for Yosuke's hand. “They've been worried about us. I think they'll be okay. We should go back.”

“Alright, but can we talk more about this tomorrow?” Yosuke held onto Yu's hand, their fingers intertwining. 

“Of course,” Yu said as they went back into the inn. They were able to get back to their room quietly and were greeted by Kanji and Teddie snoring. As Yosuke got into his futon, Yu picked his up and moved it next to Yosuke. He didn't question Yu's actions as the other settled in under the covers.

“Can we hold hands?” Yosuke whispered. “O-Only if you're okay with that.”

Yu immediately held his hand out, making Yosuke chuckle softly. 

“Good night, Yosuke.”

“Sweet dreams, Yu.”

For the both of them, it was the first night of sound sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I wanted to get this done asap since I'm away from home. I miss my cat dearly. Anyhow, I hope for my fellow Americans that you enjoy the holiday weekend and take it as a chance to relax. I'm attending a family bbq, so I'm gonna enjoy as many spare ribs as possible. The title comes from Corinne Bailey Rae's "Like a Star." Hope this was alright and I'll see y'all later!


	6. side a: smile when you speak // side b: two stars, one constellation

**smile when you speak // day 12**

Before Chie or Yukiko could call out to them, Yosuke and Yu left together. They were relaxed, comfortable and smiling. Chie took out her phone, taking a stealth shot of them to send to the group—the others would be just as relieved. But what happened? What changed—again—that made them close like they were before?

Chie turned to Yukiko. “Y'think we should ask them about it?” 

“We should leave them be,” Yukiko said. “They might have a lot to talk about.”

“Well, alright,” Chie stretched out. “I'm just glad it's not awkward anymore.”

_____

The walk back home was different than before in the best sense possible. While they couldn't hold hands in public or show too much affection for each other, just knowing that the love was mutual was enough for the time being. It would be a long journey to figure everything out, but as long as they could be together, they could accomplish anything.

“How do we tell them?” Yosuke asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “I want to tell them, but the thought makes me nervous, y'know?”

Yu nodded. “Maybe we could all meet up and have dinner. It's easy to talk to people over a meal.”

“That's true,” Yosuke replied.

“Is within the week too soon?” Yu asked, coming to a stop. “I don't really want to push it if you're not ready.”

Yosuke stopped and looked down at his feet, his face turning red. While he had given some thought on telling their friends, it was a matter of how. He didn't want to proclaim it to the world just yet, so Yosuke figured that it should be subtle and sweet. Maybe they could be closer than usual, but it would be a feat to be more affectionate. Yosuke had already leaned against Yu, rested his head against his shoulder and hung an arm around his shoulders on occasion. The gestures could be more often over time, but would that be enough? 

Yosuke brushed his hands against Yu's, but as soon as he heard footsteps from behind, he pulled away. 

“No, that sounds good,” he said as he started walking with a nervousness in his step. “I wonder if they have any idea, hahaha…”

“Who knows,” Yu said as he followed Yosuke. “But I'm glad I finally told you.”

Yosuke sighed in relief. “Ugh, you have no idea. I thought I would be able to tell you in a better way, and I feel stupid for 'causing all that trouble.”

Yu shook his head. “I wasn't in a good place either. I was confused and didn't know what to do.”

“It's surreal as hell.” Yosuke looked at Yu. God, his face made his heart beat faster. “I mean, you like me, I like you. I just… I never thought I would like a guy, but I met you.”

“I didn't think I'd like a guy either, but yeah. I met you and…” Yu looked away quickly, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Yosuke cocked his head to the side. “What? Could you speak louder?”

“… I don't think I could like anyone else,” Yu said more clearly. 

Yosuke covered the lower half of his face with his hand, trying to conceal his red face. “Why'd you have to go and say something like that?!” he shouted in embarrassment. 

“B-Because it's true!” Yu said, nearly shouting himself. But as he looked at how flustered Yosuke had become, Yu started to laugh. Yosuke soon followed suit, no longer caring about who was listening.

 

**two stars, one constellation // day 13**

It was going to be their first official date, so why make it difficult? Yosuke and Yu looked up some showtimes and decided on a 5pm screening. To keep their relationship hush-hush, Yosuke left first, leaving Yu to wait a few minutes before sprinting towards the train station. They both agreed that going on scooters would be a little awkward and the snow would have added to the travel time. As they entered the theatre, Yosuke and Yu went towards the middle section. They took off their coats and settled in as the theatre was being filled with people.

“I heard that this movie supposed to be a little bit of everything,” Yosuke said. “A little funny, a little tense, a little scary.”

“Hm, so it should be interesting,” Yu said as he took off his coat, placing it on his lap. 

As the lights went out and the film started rolling, Yu noticed that Yosuke's hand was on the armrest. He gently placed his hand of top of Yosuke's and spread out his coat to cover up. Yosuke stared back at Yu and shifted his hand around so that both of their palms faced together. His grip tightened and their fingers locked together—the perfect fit. They spent the entire movie holding hands only to be disappointed when the lights turned back on at the end. Yu stood up and put his coat back on, looking away from Yosuke. His heart was beating fast the entire time, to the point where Yu wanted to bolt out of the theatre to get some fresh air. But holding Yosuke's hand also made him feel light and content. 

On the train back home, Yosuke had a tactic of his own. He placed his bag between himself and Yu so that no one could see that they were holding hands. Yosuke didn't want to let go of him despite knowing that soon they would have to get off the train, go home and wait until tomorrow. What terrified him was knowing that Yu was going to leave Inaba in the spring. Their days together would be in competition with their days being apart, so he was going to cherish every moment possible from there on out. 

Thankfully, there were few other people who got off at Inaba. Yosuke's place was closer, so Yu decided to walk him back home. 

“I had a lot of fun,” said Yu.

“Me, too. I… umm…” Yosuke swayed from side to side. “I really liked holding your hand.”

A blush crept up on Yu's cheeks. “Y-Yeah. I hope we get to do that more often. I'll text you before I go to sleep.”

“Okay. Keep warm,” Yosuke said as he waved goodbye to Yu. As Yu walked away, Yosuke looked up at the sky. The clouds were mostly gone, and some stars twinkled through the thin patches of gray. Yosuke wasn't the kind of person to make a wish on the first star he saw, but for a moment, he wanted to acknowledge how thankful he was.

_I hope all our days together will be happy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's past midnight and I have a ride to catch in several hours, so what do I do? I update and question my life decisions. The titles come from "I Would Do Anything For You" by Foster the People and "One Minute More" by Capital Cities. Actually, the other stories I wrote for souyo week have titles that came from "One Minute More." As y'all can probably tell, I listen to a lot of songs when I'm writing. 
> 
> I know I haven't said this before, but thanks to the peeps who comment and give kudos--y'all are awesome! I hope this was alright and I'll see ya next time!


	7. fascination to love // day 16

**fascination to love // day 16**

Everyone had met up at the front gates of the school, including Teddie, who bounced from side to side. He waved over to them, his eyes shining brightly. They made their way over to Aiya, and placed their orders. As the others made small talk around them, Yosuke's heart pounded and for a moment, he truly believed that he was gonna keel over. Sitting next to Yu put him a little more at ease. _That's right,_ he told himself. _I have Yu with me._ Yosuke cleared his throat, trying to get everyone's attention.

“G-Guys,” Yosuke said, his voice wavering from nervousness. “There's something we need to tell you.”

Teddie tilted his head to the side. “Is this about you and sensei being friends again?”

“Well, yes and no.” Yosuke's eyes shifted around. 

“Out with it then,” Kanji said, straightening up in his seat. 

“Y'see… ummm…” His face was bright red. Yosuke looked at Yu, hoping that he would know what to say. Yu was the more calm and collected of the two, so maybe he had an idea. Yu smiled gently and took Yosuke's hand in his, then lifted their hands onto the table for everyone else to see.

“We're dating,” Yu said confidently. “We're completely serious about each other.”

The silence from the group could pierce through time and space. _Just kill me now,_ Yosuke thought. _Maybe we shouldn't have said anything…_

“O-Oh my God,” Chie said, shaken by surprise. 

“I _knew_ it!” Teddie shouted with excitement. “I knew it, I knew it!”

“C-Come again?” Kanji said, his eyes wide. “You guys are… d-dating?”

Yu elbowed Yosuke's arm lightly and gave him an expectant stare. Yosuke nodded, looking away. “Yeah, we are. On top of that, uhhh… Kanji, I owe you a massive apology. I'm sorry that I was an asshole to you and I'll do my best to stop needlin' you.”

“Don't go sayin' stuff like that!” Kanji yelled. “You can't just drop a huge bombshell and apologize! I don't get you two! I mean, I guess it's fine but… uhhh… ”

“In any case, congratulations,” Yukiko said, smiling. 

Yu looked over at Rise. She was visibly at a loss for words, but once she noticed his gaze, Rise managed to recovered and gave a small smile. “So it looks like I didn't have a chance, huh? But I guess as long as senpai is happy, that'll be enough.”

Naoto sighed. “Well, this is certainly not how I expected it to play out. But yes, congratulations.”

“Hey wait,” Chie said. “Teddie, how did you know?”

Teddie's smiled widened. “Yosuke talks in his sleep,” he declared. “At first, I thought he was confessing to me—I'm beary handsome and suave, after all! But he kept saying sensei's name over and over again!”

Yosuke put his head down on the table with a loud _thud_. “You stupid bear!” he shouted. “You didn't have to say all of that!”

“Sooo…” Rise said. “How did you guys figure it out?”

“Yeah,” Chie said as her eyebrows furrowed. “How did you guys know that you liked each other?”

Yosuke sat up and took several deep breaths. Holy hell, this was going to be torture. Since when did this become an investigation? It would be okay to talk about this with Yu, but to have everyone else there… embarrassing didn't even come close to describing it. Yosuke's face was persistently red—particularly his cheeks and ears. They probably wouldn't leave him alone and ask him, so it was better to just get it over with, right?

“I think from the beginning I was drawn to Yu… then I thought about him moving away,” Yosuke began. “The thought of losing him terrified me and I thought that if I could, I would follow him everywhere.”

Yu quickly looked away. Was it him, or was the restaurant too warm? The heaters were on, sure, but it was as if they were in the blazing heat of summer. “I didn't know that's how you felt.”

“Of course! I-I… ahhhhhh… ” Yosuke said, putting his head back down on the table. Yukiko turned to Yu, her eyes shining and begging for his side of the story. He sighed and cleared his throat. 

“I never denied my feelings once I realized it,” he said quietly. “But I never wanted to say them out loud because I didn't know how Yosuke would react.”

“So is it safe to assume that this was why you two have been acting strangely?” Naoto asked, taking a sip of water.

“Yeah,” Yosuke said. “We're sorry if we caused you guys any trouble.”

“We got your backs no matter what,” Kanji said, looking at the others. “Right? If anyone gives you problems, just point 'em out to me.”

“We'll support you—that kinda goes without saying,” said Rise. “So don't worry about it so much.”

“Yeah, you guys back us up when we're in a pinch,” Chie concluded. “It's only natural that we'd do the same for you.”

“Thank you,” Yu said. “I don't know what we would do without you guys.”

“While I'm happy for you, I can't help but be concerned.” Yukiko's expression saddened. “Do you plan on telling your parents?”

Yu looked at Yosuke, who lifted his head. What _would_ their parents say? Neither could imagine them being as open as their friends. Given their generation and society's views, they could be shunned and have a difficult life. Even if their parents were supportive, they might not get legal rights or be recognized as a couple. But those were just two scenarios in a universe filled with infinite paths. Despite the odds not being in their favor—at least, as far as they knew—maybe they could hold onto a small hope. 

“I'm not sure what they'd say,” Yosuke groaned. 

“Maybe in the future, we could tell them,” Yu wondered. “They can't get too mad at us if we continue our studies and find a stable job.”

“That's some positive thinking sensei!” Teddie chimed. 

Yes, they had to remain positive. Otherwise, how could they make it through together?

_____

Yu and Yosuke waved goodbye to their friends as they each went their separate directions. Yosuke had told Teddie to pass on to his parents that he would be home late. Similarly, Yu had called the house. Thankfully, Dojima was home so Nanako wouldn't be by herself. The sky was clear—not surprising, as winter would be leaving soon enough. The couple decided to walk near Samegawa before heading back. No one else was around, which was a small blessing. They sat down and leaned back, lying on the snow-covered grass.

“I love you,” Yu said as he held Yosuke's hand. Yosuke could feel his throat going dry. Though it made him happy to hear it, for some reason he couldn't make himself say it back. This didn't make his love for Yu any weaker or less important. Yosuke often thought of himself as an actions-speak-louder-than-words kind of guy. Yosuke squeezed Yu's hand tightly. “I... I love you, too.” 

“One day, we'll be able to say it more often. It's going to be a completely normal part of our lives.”

“Our lives,” Yosuke repeated softly. “… I'm going to follow you. I'm not that smart, so we probably won't go to the same college, but I'll chase after you and work really hard.”

“Are you sure you're okay with that?” Yu asked, concerned.

“Why wouldn't I be sure? Unless… you don't want me to be with you?” Yosuke sighed. “I don't want to be without you.”

“I want to be with you, too” Yu murmured. “I want to keep going to school with you, eating with you and wake up knowing that you're going to be there.”

Yosuke shook his head, completely flustered. “If things go well, we could go to the same college,” he said. “We could live off campus, study together, eat together…”

“After we graduate, we'll apply for jobs,” Yu continued. “We'd commute together in the morning, then meet up after work and go home.”

“That sounds like a good life to have.” Yosuke turned onto his side so that he faced Yu. He cupped Yu's face with one hand. His skin was cold against Yosuke's hand. “Thank you for choosing me, even though I'm not that great.”

Yu moved closer to Yosuke, looking at him with all the love in his heart. “Don't say that about yourself. You're more amazing than you realize.”

Yosuke let out a small laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck. “You sure know how to smooth talk.”

“I mean it,” Yu said. “That's why I love you.”

Yosuke leaned in and gave Yu a quick kiss on top of his head. “We should get going. We don't want to catch a cold.”

“You're right. I'll walk you back.”

They both got up and dusted off any snow that lingered. Since no one else was around, Yu decided to be bold. He grabbed Yosuke's hand and held it tightly before pulling his hand into his coat pocket.

“Your hands are cold,” Yu whispered. “At least I can keep one of them warm.”

“Y-Yeah,” Yosuke stammered. “God, when did you get so smooth? You must have had a lot of people going after you in the city, huh?”

“Actually, no,” Yu said as they started walking. “I was pretty quiet and kept to myself.”

“Did you have anyone to hang around with?” Yosuke asked.

“Not really.” Yu gave a thoughtful look. “I might have hung around a few people for group work, but nothing outside of that. I mostly read books and did some part-time jobs.”

“I see…” Yosuke wondered. In a way, he was kind of proud that he managed to create and maintain a strong connection with Yu. And at the same time, he thought about how lonely it must have felt to not have anyone to confide in or have fun with. Yosuke was similar. While he had some friends, it felt empty, as if he were just going through the motions of social expectations. 

“But it's completely different now,” Yu said, reassuringly. “I have you and everyone else. It's going to be hard to leave…”

“That's why I'm going to chase after you.” Yosuke squeezed Yu's hand. “I'll make sure that you never feel lonely again.”

A blush bloomed across Yu's face as he turned away. “Thank you.”

As they were approaching the Hanamura household, Yosuke and Yu separated from each other as to not cause suspicion. Yu waited until Yosuke went inside before he left. With his heartbeat picking up speed, Yu decided to run back home, not know what else to do with the burst of adrenaline. A big smile tugged at the corners of Yu's lips out of the happiness and peace he had found. Love was an amazing thing and now that he found it, Yu never wanted to let go of the feeling. It was difficult and it hurt like hell in the beginning. But once it was returned, Yu felt like he could do anything and there was nothing that could pull him apart from Yosuke. 

Once he got home and saw that Dojima and Nanako had gone to bed, Yu went straight to his room. After changing and settling into his futon, Yu sent a text to Yosuke and fell asleep while waiting for a reply. He dreamt of a life with Yosuke—a comfortable, loving, possible future. It was within reach, but as much as Yu wanted to rush towards that dream, he planned on enjoying the present.

_These days will pass by. I want to live with no regrets._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! The title for the chapter comes from "Fascination," a great song. I'm in the process of figuring out why I choose to update so early (between 12AM and 3AM)--I could literally pick any other time orz
> 
> The next chapter is most likely going to be the last. I knew souyo week was going to take more than a week for me to finish but holy crap I didn't think it'd take this long. I'd like to think that when they're alone, Yosuke's able to actually talk about his feelings more. He's just a nervous wreck when other people are involved--probably because he doesn't want someone to treat him the way he treated Kanji, or worse. So when no one's around, he's a huge lovey-dovey dork.
> 
> I hope this was alright. I had some trouble thinking about how the rest of the Investigation Team would react, so sorry if some characters are a bit ooc. *places the "you tried" star on self*
> 
> Anywho, I'll see y'all next time! Have a great day!


	8. when you're close to me // year 202X

**when you're close to me // year 202X**

Summer had arrived. The train ride back to Inaba was uneventful, giving Yosuke and Yu some time to relax. But as hard as they tried, both men had butterflies in their stomachs and too much on their minds. Even with their college studies behind them and three years of living together, nothing prepared the couple enough to be bold in public. The most they could muster up was hand holding and hugs. Anything beyond that—even the most chaste of kisses—was like putting a spotlight on them. Thankfully, in the city, there was always a sea of people that they could hide in. People would be on their way to work or hanging around their friends—in other words, too busy to notice them. Going back to Inaba, a small town, would be putting on restraints given how easily rumors were spread. 

_**Now arriving at Yasoinaba Station.** _

The couple gathered their belongings and got off the train. Evening was approaching, leaving them with little time together. Before parting ways, Yosuke gave Yu a quick hug. 

“… I'll message you later,” Yu said, giving Yosuke the best smile that he could.

“Alright. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night.” Yosuke looked down at his shoes before leaving.

Tomorrow should be better, but neither of them could say for sure. As Yu made his way to Dojima's, his thoughts went back and forth. Tell them now, or tell them later? Before he could make a solid decision, Yu found himself at the doorstep. He couldn't stop his arm from trembling as he reached out and rang the doorbell. 

“Coming!” A familiar voice shouted, footsteps approaching. 

The front door slid open and Yu was greeted with Nanako's warm smile. She had grown into a responsible, happy young woman. 

“Welcome back,” she said, motioning for Yu to enter the house. “How are you?” 

“I'm doing well,” Yu said as he stepped in and took off his shoes. 

“Dad! He's here!” Nanako called out, closing the door behind them.

Being back in that house always put Yu back in time, when he had first lived there. While not all the memories were pleasant, it was wonderful to be back in a place that could be called “home.”

“It's good to see you,” Dojima said as he folded up his newspaper. “Nanako, could you get the dinner from the fridge?”

“Already on it!” Nanako said, grabbing some plates. She turned to face Yu. “Go ahead and sit down. You must be tired from your trip.”

“I'm alright.” Yu placed his things by the couch. “Has anything new happened?”

“Not really, which is probably a good thing.” Dojima sighed from relief. “The only troublesome thing is petty thieves and people disobeying traffic rules. But what about you? How's working for the city going?”

“It's been a little hectic, but manageable.” Yu's eyes shifted around as he and Dojima sat at the table. 

“Alright,” Nanako said as she placed a deluxe sushi set on the table, along with plates and chopsticks. “I was able to use my employee discount, so I hope you enjoy!” She ran back to the kitchen with some drinks and cups. “Which drink do you want?”

“I'll take the tea,” Yu said. “How's Junes?”

“It's the same as always,” Nanako said, pouring Yu's drink. “It's busy, there's sales—but it's fun! I just have to keep it up.”

“And how's school?” Yu took his cup and placed it closer to him.

“I made it to the top five!” Nanako declared proudly. “And the Music Club has more members this year.”

“That's good to hear,” Yu said. Once everyone was settled in, they raised their glasses. 

“Cheers!”

As Dojima and Nanako reached out for the food, Yu shifted around, finally coming to a decision.

“There's something I wanted to tell you,” he said quietly.

“Oh?” Dojima said, tilting his head to the side. “Something good or something bad?”

“Something good… I think.” Yu took a sip of his tea. “It has to do with my future.”

“Well, that's pretty vague,” Dojima remarked, taking a piece of sashimi. “Whatever it is I'm open ears.”

“It's kind of difficult—I don't know where to begin…” 

Dojima leaned back. “Hmmm… if it's about your future… ah. Do you have a girlfriend?”

Yu's face flushed out of anxiousness. Small beads of sweat formed on his palms as his heartbeat quickened. “It's something like that…”

Nanako's eyebrows furrowed. “ _Girlfriend_? Aren't you going out with Yosuke?”

Upon hearing this, Dojima's eyes widened as he spits out some of his drink. Wonderful. The first part of Yu's nightmare was coming true. But one thing did catch him off-guard.

“You knew?” he asked, turning towards Nanako. She gave him a reassuring smile. 

“Teddie told be last year—it wasn't his fault, though! It was an accident.” Nanako looked towards Dojima. “It's not _that_ shocking, is it?”

“I-It's just,” Dojima said, trying to regain his composure. “I didn't see it coming.”

“C'mon, dad.” Nanako said, containing some laughter. “After Teddie told me, I felt a little stupid for not noticing. But is that all, big bro?”

“Uhmm…” Yu took a deep breath. “It's been several years now. We finished our education, we both have jobs and we're financially stable. We know what can and can't be done… but we wanted to have a ceremony.”

“A ceremony?” Dojima gave a thoughtful look. “As in marriage ceremony, right?” 

Yu nodded his head. “There's a temple in Kyoto that holds ceremonies for… people like us. It won't really be recognized, but we thought it would be nice.”

“… have you told your parents yet?” Dojima asked, leaning in. 

“My parents,” Yu began. “They weren't exactly thrilled, but my mother said that I should do what makes me happy.”

Dojima heaved a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don't want this to come across the wrong way. Your mother's right, you _should_ be happy. But I'm going to ask, are you sure?”

Nanako frowned. “Dad, just—” 

“—hold on, let me finish.” Dojima took another deep breath. “I'm only asking because other people might say things to you or hurt you. There aren't many laws to protect you. I just want you to be safe.”

“I've been aware of the risks,” Yu said. “So far, we've been lucky. That's the one good thing about a densely populated city. No one really notices you.”

“When are you guys gonna get married?” Nanako asked, giggling. “Can we have a party after? I've gotten better at baking, so I can make you guys a cake.”

“We were thinking about having it in the winter.” Yu's expression saddened. “There's just one problem: we haven't told his parents yet. We planned on telling them tomorrow, after telling our friends.” 

“I see.” Dojima took a sip of tea. After what seemed like an eternity, Dojima's expression softened. “Just give me the date, and I'll reserve it a month in advance.”

“Yay! We're gonna have a wedding!” Nanako shouted happily. “Congratulations!”

Dojima hummed quietly to himself. “So I guess we should invite him to dinner, huh?”

“And we'll have to get Yosuke a cup,” Nanako said, giggling. “I already have my eye on one.”

“Thank you,” Yu said, bowing his head slightly. A few tears trickled down his face out of gratitude and happiness. The worst had always been expected since he and Yosuke started dating. Dojima would tell him not to visit anymore or Nanako would find him disgusting. Now he was ashamed to have doubted his family.

“Hey, hey,” Dojima said calmly. “Don't get all formal with us now. We're family, and we'll be here to support you.”

“Thank you,” Yu repeated as he wiped his face. 

After finishing dinner and cleaning up the living room, Yu took his things up to his room. Thanks to Dojima's kindness and Nanako's insistence, it remained relatively the same. He changed his clothes and took out his phone, noticing an alarming number of missed calls from Yosuke. Yu immediately hit the call button. It was strange to have that many missed calls and no text messages. Yosuke would at least have sent a text saying “evrythng ok?” or “goin' to sleep. g'night.”

“Hey,” Yosuke said, much to Yu's relief.

“Are you okay?” Yu asked. “I just—”

“I told them.” Yosuke's voice began to shake. “You won't believe what they said.”

 _Oh, no._ Yu gave a small sigh. “Yosuke, I'm so—”

“They're okay with it!” Yosuke shouted. “They're actually okay with it!”

As Yu's knees weakened, he sat down, trying to understand what Yosuke was talking about. 

“I mean, holy crap, Yu!” Yosuke said. “I just can't believe it! It's like I'm dreaming!”

“S-So… you told them?” Yu asked. “And they said okay?”

“It kinda just… all came out.” Yosuke let out a low groan. “Teddie said some sort of… things that implied more or less about us, so my dad just asked me upfront. Just goes to show, that dumb bear can't keep a secret.”

“I told Dojima and Nanako,” Yu said. “Dojima just wanted to make sure we were okay and Nanako already knew about us because of Teddie.”

“What,” Yosuke said flatly. “Damn it, Teddie. Soooo… I guess that just leaves everyone else. I feel… I feel good.”

“Me, too.” Yu smiled. “We can rest easy now.”

“Rest easy?” Yosuke repeated with a small chuckle. “I don't think I can sleep with how happy I feel.”

“You should still get some rest. Good night, Yosuke.”

“Good night, Yu. I… I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

_____

Just as the years before, everyone had met up at the Junes Food Court. Yosuke and Yu were the last to arrive, as they chose to meet up beforehand. The group waved over to them, enthusiastic as ever. It was still strange to see how everyone had changed over time. Their high school days still felt recent, but perhaps strong relationships alter time in that way. To them, it was only yesterday that they decided on saving their town from the fog. Now, they were grown, leading their own lives. Even Teddie spent his days off sleeping, concentrating on making his human form look older, as if he didn't want to be left behind.

“Hey guys!” Chie called out. “How've you been?”

“We're doing well,” Yosuke said as they sat down. “What about you guys?”

“There's a stable flow of customers,” Yukiko began. “We're expecting a large group within the next several weeks. Sadly, that means we all can't have a sleepover…”

“Don't sweat it,” Kanji said. “Let's just have some fun!”

“Agreed,” Naoto concluded. “I think we all deserve a small break every now and then.”

“Maybe we could go to the beach again, while we're all still here,” Rise suggested. “I bought some new swimsuits that I've been dying to wear.”

“We can have a picnic too!” Teddie chimed.

“Before we get ahead of ourselves,” Yosuke interjected. “We have an announcement to make.”

As the group's gaze focused on Yosuke and Yu, the former took a step back, feeling nervous. He held onto Yu's hand for confidence. After a few false starts, Yosuke was finally able to talk normally—well, as close to it as possible.

“We… as you guys know,” he began. “We've been dating for a while now and… we're hoping that you guys can make it to our ceremony.”

“It won't be until later this year,” Yu said, continuing from where Yosuke left off. His grip on Yosuke's hand tightened. “Once we get the exact date, we'll send out proper invitations.”

The look on everyone's face went from intent listening to child-like excitement. Teddie was the first to get up and pull the couple into a tight hug. Was it just Yosuke's imagination, or did Teddie become stronger as he “aged”? With every ounce of his strength, he pried Teddie away. 

“Y'know, I'd like to _live_ past this year,” he said, brushing himself off.

“It's finally happening!” Teddie's eyes shimmered. “Can I help plan it?”

“No fair, we should all pitch in!” Rise said. 

“Then you guys should talk to Nanako about it,” Yu said, smiling. “She already called dibs on making the cake.”

“We could make something light,” said Chie. “And I know what you're thinking but our cooking has gotten so much better.”

“That's because you guys follow the cookbook religiously,” Kanji said, laughing slightly. “I've tried their food, and they're really good at it now.”

“It's still a while's away, but we should plan as much as possible.” Yukiko looked over at Yu. “But let's go have some lunch and catch up first.”

“That sounds good to me!” said Teddie as he started to walk off. “Wait, where are we going?”

“Where else?” Chie asked. “I've been craving Aiya's beef bowl for a week!”

“You know you can get it anytime, right?” Rise teased. 

Chie pouted. “Yeah, but then it isn't a treat if I can eat it everyday. I want to _savor_ it as much as possible and get psyched up for it!”

“That settles it,” Yosuke said as he started walking. Yu followed behind him, still holding hands, fingers interlocked.

“Huh, you guys okay with doing stuff in public now?” Kanji asked, pointing at their hands.

“Oh, our families know now,” Yu said bluntly, eliciting a piercing “WHAT” from everyone else.

“Whoa, when did _that_ happen?” Chie asked.

“Last night,” Yosuke said, glaring at Teddie. “Someone had a hard time keeping a secret.”

“I already said that I was beary sorry!” Teddie sputtered. “Nanako and I were just talking, then I brought up how you two living together was normal because you were dating. And your mom wondered why you haven't talked about any girls lately.”

Yosuke shook his head and rubbed his temple. “So we both had some explaining to do,” he said.

“And they're… okay with it.” Yu said, sighing in relief. “So now we really don't have to worry as much.”

Kanji flashed them a thumbs up. “With someone like Dojima behind you, I doubt people would think about messin' with you in this town.”

“And you guys have us,” said Rise. “So everything's gonna turn out fine.”

As everyone started to talk about some ideas for an after party, Yosuke looked at Yu and smiled gently. Their friends were right—they weren't alone in this journey. There was love between them and all around them. 

_When you're close to me, I can do anything._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It's been one hell of a ride with this fic, so I hope it was fun for y'all to read. As I've said before, this was meant to be part of souyo week 2016 and while it's waaaay past souyo week, I decided to keep going with this. Thanks for putting up with my procrastination ^^;
> 
> I'll be working on some other souyo stuff, so keep an eye out on those. Thanks again to you guys for reading/commenting/giving kudos and all that jazz. Until next time!


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